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Mae Clair: The Next Big Thing

I’m jazzed today because it’s my turn to participate in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. I was tagged by the very talented L.J. Kentowski who writes steamy kick-butt urban fantasy. Her new novel, SEEKER OF FATE, (book two in the FATE SERIES) will be releasing next month. In the meantime, you can familiarize yourself with her characters and cool world mythology by reading book one, GUARDIAN OF FATE. It rocks!

As for the NBT hop, writers answer a series of questions related to their current WIP, then tag several other authors to join the hop. Fun, huh? First, I want to send a high-five out to L.J. for tagging me (thanks L.J.!), and next I’ll roll out the questions. All set? Goodie. Here goes:

What is the working title of your book?ECLIPSE LAKE

Wheredid the idea of the book come from?
My sister and her husband have a lake house at a resort area in the mountains. The setting is beautiful . . . rolling hillsides dotted with farms, a sprawling lake with several public docks, marina, restaurant, beach area, picnic areas. Most of the homes are built on the mountain with the lake below. There’s also a small blip-of-a-town at the base. Think highly rural with turkey-eat-alls at the firehall, fishing cabins, and resort homes. High up on the mountain a handful of mansions peek through the trees, sprawling structures of glass and wood. When you turn the lights out at night, it’s so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face, but the tree frogs chatting outside sing you to sleep.

The first time I was there, I fell in love with the setting. It seemed like a great place for a mystery so I immediately started crafting a story. It took a while, but I eventually had the first draft of ECLIPSE LAKE. I’m now working on draft two.

What genre does your book fall under?
That’s the loaded question I’m currently struggling with. I originally saw it as an inspirational romance. I have since cut the inspirational element and am pumping up the mystery. So . . . I’m going to say it’s mystery/romance although, romance readers may feel it has too much mystery, and mystery readers may feel it has too much romance. I like blending those two in equal amounts and, hopefully, many readers will feel the same way.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in movie renditions?
As strange as it seems, I can’t pinpoint any. I know that sounds odd. After having written a complete first draft, I know these characters well, and can see them clearly in my head, but I can’t match up any actors.

Dane Carlisle is tall and lean with brown-blond hair. His love interest, Ellie Sullivan has black hair, is petite but athletic. Dane has an older brother, Jonah, who is shorter but muscular, and a seventeen-year-old son, Jesse. Those are my four main characters. The only person I can think of for Dane is Chris Hemsworth (with longer hair). The others, I have no clue.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
Ex-con, Dane Carlisle, now a successful businessman, returns to his hometown in hopes of reconciling with his estranged brother, and falls for a photojournalist who becomes involved in a decades old murder.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I plan to submit to my current publisher in hopes it will find a home there. If not, I’ll forward it to several other e-publishing houses before going the Indie route. I do, however, feel strongly enough about this novel that I will self-publish. I just dread the learning curve, and will therefore be hounding my indie author friends for advice!

How long did it take you to finish the first draft of your project?
I wrote the first draft many years ago (this is one of those books I had tucked away in a drawer) so I don’t remember exactly, but I’m going to guess roughly six to eight months. That’s my normal pace since I work full-time.

What other books would you compare this story to in your genre?
I can’t think of a specific title, but anything that blends mystery and romance. Family relationships also figure prominently in the novel and are key to the plot.

Who or what inspired you to write this story?
I’ve always been drawn to flawed characters, family relationships, and second chances. I wanted to tell a story showing the power of forgiveness, and the ability to start over again. Dane and Jonah have a bitter and tumultuous history between them. That rift is at the heart of the story, but I wanted Dane to find happiness through romance too (because I’m an HEA girl :) ) and that’s where Ellie comes in.

What else about your book may pique readers’ interest?Um . . . some kids find a skeleton that unleashes a deluge of trouble, there’s a strange light phenomena over the lake that no one but Ellie sees; I’ve got a closet-full of buried family secrets, a sheriff with a score to settle, a teenaged son who doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut, and a widower trying to find the peace of heart to love again. Intrigued? :D I hope so!

That’s it for me and ECLIPSE LAKE. Thanks for taking a peek with me and thanks to L.J. Kentowski for the tag. And now, I’d like to nominate the following awesome author/bloggers to continue the NBT hop.

Oh dear, Mae. I have you as an author listed on My Next Big Thing. I’m planing on posting it on Monday. And, because my blog reaches out to a completely different audience than yours, I just might keep you as a hand-off when I list my 5 author/writers. I see awards and hand-offs as a great way of introducing ‘outside-the-genre’ authors to readers that follow normally within another read pattern. [Does that make sense.] Thus the individuals that read my women’s fiction book reviews will see your name, my comments, etc. Thought I’d give you a heads up in case you want to be thinking up another story line–you are so prolific – I know you have several tucked away. Interesting you had trouble coming up with your actors. That was the hardest part for me.

Oh, Sheri, I so would have tagged you if I’d known you participated in these types of things. I was fearful you only did reviews. I can’t WAIT to see yours and I’m honored that you chose to include me. By all means keep me on your list. I have lots of genres and novels in the hopper, so I will gladly choose another to follow up on your post and keep the hop going. Thanks so much!

And yeah, the actor part was hardest part. I can see my characters in my head, I just can’t think of any actors who resemble them, LOL.

Looking forward to Monday! :D Thanks for the heads up. Now I just have to decide which of the many to showcase, LOL.

Sounds like a great Sandra Brown-type novel to me. I loved her books when she wrote strictly romance and love em even more now that she writes romantic thrillers. It sounds awesome! And you said Chris Hemsworth so I’m hooked already! LOL By the way, if you go indie, you know you are surrounded by advice ;) I’m sure it will find its way out either way!

If I go indie, I will definitely be asking you and a few others for opinions, L.J. I am so impressed by all you’ve accompished with your FATE series.

I really need to read Sandra Brown. I’m familiar with her but have never read any of her books. She sounds like she writes exactly what I’d love to read. And Chris Hemsworth seems to be very busy with the Next Big Thing book hop, LOL. So many authors wanting him as their leading guy. So nice we can share him :D

It’s beautiful, Emma. As a descriptive writer, I’ve had to restrain myself from blabbing about it non-stop in most scenes throughout the book, LOL. The setting is definitely easy to write about, given how picturesque it is.